Method of wet massaging



Oct. 27, 1964 R. MECKELBURG 3,154,070

METHOD OF WET MASSAGING Filed May 4', 1961 m/entan' I Ravi: MEZ'AEL 502 United States Patent Oflice 3,154,073 Patented Oct. 27, 1964 3,154,070 METHOD OF WET MASSA'GING Renee Meckelburg, Sporkenstrasse 35, Celle, Germany Filed May 4, 1961, Ser. No. 110,602 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-65) The invention relates to a cosmetic treatment of the human skin, more particularly the face and neck, and to a device for carrying out such treatment. This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 737,130, filed May 22, 1958, and now abandoned.

In places where such treatments are generally performed, e.g. baths and health clubs, indoor swimming pools, massage rooms, and beauty salons, apparatuses are usually provided for dilferent kinds of skin treatments, such as steaming, application of compresses, massaging and the like.

However, when a treatment of this type is to be carried out in the home, it meets with certain difiiculties. This is true more particularly of the treatment of the facial skin, which is so important for feminine beauty care. One of the features which is important in such care is the supply, particularly to the aging skin, of water and oxygen, of alimentary substances and other skin condition-ing agents, in which the skin may be lacking.

Treatment with water, application of and massaging with cold cream, oil, lotions, mixtures of herbs, and with milk, etc. are know beauty care aids. As a rule the treatment is combined with different types of massage, often carried out in the dry state of the skin, e.g. stroking, patting, and vibration massage. However, a reasonable amount of water should be supplied in order to acord the skin the possibility of recovering its natural state of moisture and of absorbing the above listed ingredients.

As a rule, a treatment of this kind requires an operator to help the person taking the treatment, except when the later is performed in a bath tub. Even then, only the body is submerged, while the head is of course above the water level. However, the application of water is very important in all cosmetic treatments, whether it concerns the use of tap water, rain water, sea water, mineral water, or the like. Moisture is continually discharged from the skin and has, therefore, to be replaced. For the skin of the face, this can only be done by special beauty care. As already mentioned, this meets with certain difiiculties in home treatments, since even in a tub bath the face remains unaffected. It is true that the steam escaping from very hot water would effect a certain moistening of the face, but this could by no means replace a direct facial treatment with steam or water. Some women try a makeshift steam treatment by bending over a pot of steaming water and using a towel to form a hood; but even then, this cannot take the place of compresses and there is no massaging, which is so necessary for enhancing adequate blood supply of the skin.

It has been proposed heretofore to apply hot or cold water to the face by means of a mask having a flannelette face-contacting panel and a water impervious panel spaced therefrom to provide a reservoir for the water. By applying pressure to the water in the bottom of the reservoir it was possible to force it upwardly into contact with the flannelette to keep the latter and the face constantly wet. But I have found that merely contacting the skin with moisture is not sufiicient to hydrate the epidermis and has substantially no hydrating effect on the dermis. The dermis is hydrated primarily from the serum in the blood and this is accomplished by stimulating blood circulation to the extremely fine capillaries at the ends of the blood vessels. Obviously this is not accomplished by merely contacting the skin with a wet cloth, even if the cloth is compressed against the face.

It has also been proposed to apply lotions, creams, and the like to the skin by means of a porous, elastic rubber mask which keeps the treatment liquid in contact with the skin and also, because it is elastic and used under tension, holds sagging muscles. By involuntary action of the muscles under the imposed tension of the mask a gentle massage is produced.

In accordance with the present invention, the epidermis is hydrated and the dermis is stimulated by means of an alternate suction-pressure massage produced by compressing and releasing a liquid-saturated cellular elastomer in contact with the epidermis. The cellular elastomer has interconnecting cells so that the liquid is fed continuously to the skin surface from the internal cells in the wall of the mask. The liquid may be replenished as desired from the outer face of the cellular elastomer.

The mask of the invention is unique in the material from which it is made. The elastomer may be plasticized polyvinyl chloride, rubber, synthetic rubber, polyurethane or other soft elastic material expanded to provide a honeycomb structure of very fine interconnecting cells. The material does not resemble a natural sponge except in that it is capable of holding large volumes of liquid. The cells are much smaller than those of a sponge, having a mean diameter about the size of the end of a wellsharpened pencil. This soft, fine-textured, elastic material when wetted and brought into contact with the skin may be compressed with the fingers or palm of the hand to expel liquid from the skin-contacting cells under pressure. Upon release of the pressure the skin is pulled back to the elastomer by the suction action of the cells and the ambient liquid. If the liquid were not present at the skin surface air would be drawn back into the cells without producing the desired suction. Thus by compressing and releasing the rubbery cellular material, a very gentle massage is effected which brings about the desired blood circulation and a movement of the skin, without distortion of its texture. At the same time as the circulation of the blood, the drainage of the lymphatics is adequately stimulated.

The appliance may include a mask for facial skin treatment, 2. compress-like band for neck treatment, or a combination of both. The use of these appliances can be combined with a tub bath, but it need not be so combined. Liquid which is being used up during the treatment is advantageously continually replaced, e.g. by a dropper from a bottle, or by pouring.

It has been found that the pressure-suction massage performed with the novel device and method according to the invention is a considerable improvement over the known massaging methods consisting of stroking, patting, or vibration massaging while the skin is in dry state. It does not produce stimulation by friction but by the gentle suction-pressure of the soft elastomer.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing, but it should be understood that this is given by way of illustration and not of limitation and that many changes in the details can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a face mask according to the invention, in side view;

FIGURE 2 shows the same mask in front view; and

FIGURE 3 shows a neck compress of tlie same material, in plan View.

In FIGURES 1 and 2, the numeral 10 designates a mask, preferably of foamed polyvinyl plastic, having the necessary openings 11, 12, and 13 for eyes, nose, and mouth, respectively. For fastening the mask, a band 16 and ribbons 17, 18 are attached, which may be made of any desired material, textile, rubber, or the like.

In FIGURE 3 the neck compress comprises a body portion 19 made of foamed plastic and the like, and ribbons 20 for attachment.

Masks of different sizes and varying shapes should be provided fitting the contours of the average human faces. As indicated, the material may be foamed plastic, foamed rubber, and the like (referred to in the claim as elastomer), which is capable of absorbing large quantities of liquid. Preferably the sheet from which the mask is formed should be at least /2" thick to provide a good supply of liquid.

Because of the fine cellular structure, the mask or neck appliance, respectively, absorbs the liquid with which it is moistened, evenly over its entire surface so that the lower portions are not heavier than the rest of the mask and will therefore not distort the skin underneath, The mask can, consequently, be applied while a person is sitting up and not only in a lying position as was the case with the known compresses.

Any desired additions may be made to the liquid or. Water thus applied, e.g. a mixture of herbs or other medications. After the treatment, when the pores of the skin have been opened, cold cream, oil, lotions, and so on, may be applied.

While in the foregoing I have only spoken of feminine beauty treatment, it will easily be understood that the appliance could be used with equally good results in facial treatments for men, as they are applied in many modern barbershops. I claim:

A method for cosmetic treatment of the human face which comprises providing a mask shaped to conform substantially to the contour of the face and made from a soft porous cellular elastomer having interconnecting cells capable of absorbing and exuding liquid upon alternate release and application of pressure, causing the cells in said elastomer to absorb a treatment liquid, securing said wet mask over the face with the surface cells of said elastomer in contact with the skin, alternately exerting manual pressure upon said elastomer and releasing said pressure gently to massage the skin beneath the wet mask, thereby effecting a suction-pressure massage through said cells, and replenishing the treatment. liquid in said cells from the outside of the mask as required to keep the cellular-skin contacting surface constantly wet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,002,449 Dohm May 21, 1935 2,392,377 Golding Ian. 8, 1946 2,513,772 Amer July 4, 1950 2,526,190 Alvarez Oct. 17, 1950 2,705,952 Becker Apr. 12, 1955 

